Basics
The Server Operating System is an Operating System that has been optimized to deal with client computer interactions.
Functionality such as Email, SQL, VPN End Point, Active Directory are all components that are in addition to the core Operating System
Windows Server Web Edition
Only for Web Services no Active Directory
Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation
Active Directory
Only 15 users
Small Business Server
Bill Gates gift to Small Businesses
Includes Exchange and a number of high level services normally only accessible by large corporations
Server Standard Edition
Most common
Gives standard functionality — Active Directory, File/ Print Sharing, IIS, VPN
Other Editions
If you don’t know what they are you probably don’t need them — Enterprise, Data Center, HPC
Server Software
Some server software you have to buy in addition to the Server Operating System
Some server software requires additional access licenses just like Server CAL’s
Exchange — Email Server
MSSQL — SQL/ Database Server
Sharepoint — Document Management
Final Thoughts…
Get the edition you need!
Total cost of licensing can make the purchase of a piece of software go from affordable to impossible. (Example of $3000 work order system that required Windows Server, MSSQL and Exchange to function)
Resources